Trade Speculations Surrounding the Oakland Athletics

2. Closer Tyler Clippard (1-3, 2.96 ERA, SV 10/12 in 27 appearances)

May 29, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Tyler Clippard (36) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at O.co Coliseum. The Athletics defeated the Yankees 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Clippard was a staple in the Washington Nationals organization for seven seasons, and even racked up 32 saves in 2012 as their closer. Known primarily as a setup man, Billy Beane took a gamble this past off-season when he swapped middle infielder Yunel Escobar, acquired in the Tampa Bay Rays deal, to D.C. for Clippard. Clippard’s fastball – along with a filthy change-up and curve-ball, has helped him be a solid setup man for many years, and his pitching arsenal is nothing to laugh at. His home run to fly ball rate is exceptional at 4.1 percent – which is the best it’s been in his major league career thus far. However, don’t forget to consider that because this percentage is so minuscule, Clippard’s ground ball rate isn’t very high. Meaning that when hitters are making contact, whether it’s recorded as a hit or an out, pitches tend to be left up in the strike zone. Nonetheless, Clippard has been very successful since joining the A’s, and the heavy marine layer has been a savior – halting most baseballs at the warning track. Despite the fact that Clippard has been pitching away from his typical setup role, he has several suitors so far including the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and even the Minnesota Twins. Because he’s a free agent after the 2015 season, it is tough to say what kind of prospect the A’s could get in return. But if Beane is willing to take on a bit of Clippard’s salary, who’s to say the return couldn’t make an impact on the organization fairly quickly?

Next: The Utility Man With the Plan